A Ryanair passenger claims she was charged £50 for carrying a water bottle strapped across her body, as the airline deemed it a violation of its baggage policy.

Ruby Flanagan, who was flying from Dublin to Stansted on 4 February, recounted her experience in The Mirror. As she approached the gate, staff asked her to place her carry-on backpack in a size-check box. With some effort, it fit.

However, a staff member then pointed to her 750ml water bottle hanging by a strap and insisted it needed to be placed inside her bag. Flanagan, who had not faced this requirement on her outbound flight, questioned whether it was necessary. The staff member reiterated that all extra items had to be within the bag during boarding.

After struggling to fit the bottle inside, she managed to zip her bag and proceeded to scan her boarding pass again. But upon reaching the gate a second time, another Ryanair employee informed her that her bag was now too large and that she needed to pay an additional fee to board.

Flanagan claimed she saw other passengers carrying laptops, fast food bags, and travel pillows without issue. Despite her protests, the airline closed the flight, and a staff member told her, "You'll have to pay for it either way—outside, it’s a second bag, and inside, it makes your bag too big."

To avoid missing her flight, Flanagan paid the €60 (£50) charge—twice what she originally paid for the water bottle—and her bag was tagged with a yellow sticker.

In a statement to The Mirror, Ryanair defended its decision, stating that Flanagan had purchased a Basic Fare ticket, which only permits a small personal bag. Since she attempted to bring an additional carry-on item that exceeded her allowance, she was correctly charged the standard gate baggage fee.

Ryanair’s baggage policy allows one free small bag per passenger, which must fit under the seat and measure no more than 40 x 20 x 25cm. Additional carry-ons are subject to fees ranging from €20 (£16.70) to €60 (£50), depending on when they are added.

Travel correspondent Simon Calder expressed sympathy for Flanagan but acknowledged Ryanair was within its rights. He noted that passengers frequently complain about unexpected fees, often assuming that if they weren’t charged on one leg of the journey, they won’t be charged on the return. "The reality is, she was lucky to get away with the large bottle on her outbound flight," he concluded.